Ambulance.



E. L. N. MILLER.. ANIBULANCE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-17.1917.

' Patented Ap1.23,1918.

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E. L. N. MILLER.

An/luL/INCIS.v

APPLICATION IILED AUG. I7. 1917.

Patented Apr. 23,1918.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 28, 1918.

Application le. August 1'?, 1917. Serial No. 186,655.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, EMMA L. N. MILLER, a citizen ot the United States of America, and a resident of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Ambulances, of which the following is a specification.

rllhis invention relates to an ambulance which is designed to receive a number of stretchers, these being supported on hinged brackets which can be swung out of the way when any of the stretchers are not in place, and thereby aiiord access from other sides to the remaining stretchers, and when all of the stretchers are removed from the brackets leave space which may be utilized for the transportation of goods. A further object is to so construct the brackets that they will be securely held against movement when the stretchers are supported thereon and the stretchers will be secured thereto against displacement in` any direction. A further object is to provide an ambulance that may be varied in size according to the number of stretchers which it is required to carry in use, so that when carrying less than the full number the ambulance can be narrowed to take up less room on the road and pass readily along narrow roads and through gateways. A further object is to provide a stretcher suited to the organization of the ambulance in which the canvas web of the stretcher is readily separable from the framework for washing whereby it can be maintained in a thoroughly clean and sani-V tary condition.

1n the accompanying two sheets of drawings which form a part of this'application-f Figure 1 is a perspective of a portable stretcher as used in the field, it being suited for use in connection with an ambulance in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the canvas web for the stretcher, the head or foot protector being folded back and a quilted pad being secured to the web, one end being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the stretcher in place on the brackets of an ambulance.

Fig. t is a plan showing two columns of the ambulance, and the hinged brackets folded.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of one of the brackets. Y Y

Fig. 6 shows one of the head and foot bars. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the ambulance.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the ambulance, one side being shown extended.

The stretcher which is intended to be carried by the ambulance comprises a web whichis made from a strip of canvas two or three feet longer than the required length of the stretcher. On the sides/near the ends the strip of canvas is notched vand thereby divided into a middle section 10 which supports the body of the person carried by the stretcher, and two end sections 11, 11 which fold over the middle section and are secured at the corners and outer edges with clasp fasteners 12, 12 to form head and foot pro*l tectors. rllhe side edges of the middle section are folded over and stitched to form side hems 18, 18. At the notches the canvas is folded over and stitched transversely to form plaits or end hems, 14, 14. A quilted pad 15 may be placed on the middle section to increasewarmth and comfort. V'.lhis is held in place by loops 16, 16 at the ends of the pad which engage buttons 17, 17 sewed to the web. Foles 18, 18 loosely fit the side hems so that they may be readily withdrawn when the canvas needs to be washed. rThe poles project at each end beyond the hems and the projecting ends are reduced to form handles 19, 19 and shoulders 20, 20. The canvas web and poles form a portable stretcher for use in the iield in carrying wounded to the ambulance.

The ambulance is formedv with columns 21, 21 which form a part of its structure. rFliese supportA brackets through upper hinges 22, 22 and lower hinges 23, 23. Each bracket comprises a horizontal top boardl 211 and a diagonal board 25. The top board carries a trough-shaped casting 26 which is `formed to receive one pole of the stretcher and engage the shoulder on the pole to prevent end movement. This casting also forms one member of` the top hinge and carries an eye 27 which registers with a threaded eye 28 formed on the member of the hinge which is attached to the column. rllhe top board of the bracket also carries a second casting 29 which is partially troughshaped to receive the other pole of the stretcher and engage the shoulder to prevent endwise movement. The diagonal board of the bracket is also attached to this casting. The casting carries an eye 30. `When the stretcher is in place on the brackets the castings support the poles and hold them spaced apart so that the web will be properly bulance floor 32has hinged extensions 33, 33

stretched transversely. Head and foot bars 31, 31 are then passed through the eyes of thecastings and theend hems of the web and screwed into the threaded eyes of the hingemembers which arefcarried by the columns. 'TheA web is thereby also stretched lengthwise and vthe hinges are clamped so that the brackets will be rigid.

rIhe ambulance as shown has eight columns and twobrackets are hinged to both sides of each column, thereby providing for the support of sixteen stretchers. The amoutside the columns, and likewise the roof 34 has hinged extensions 35, 35, which when folded out add Wings to the ambulance. Tvilhen stretchers are not in place in these wings the brackets can be swung into positions parallel with the axis of the ambulance, and the floor extensions foldedup and the roof extensions folded down to narrow the ambulance. When the wings are extended vanduse'as a eld hospital is contemplated, f legs 36, 36 are folded down to support the corners of the floor Yextensions and thereby give more stability.

The wings extend beyond the outer stretch- Vers so as tov aord in each a passageway for l stretcherrhaving a web, and poles connected by the web,the poles being provided with handles and shoulders formed at their ends, supports for the stretcher secured to the am- Copies of Vthis patent may be obtained for bulance and formed with means for engaging the poles to hold them in spaced relation and `forengaging the shoulders to prevent longitudinal movement, and means for locking the poles in the supports, substantially as described. i

2. In combination, a web with side and end hems, and poles with handles and shoulders formed at their ends, the poles remov ably engaging the side hems to form a portable stretcher, head and foot bars i'or removably engaging the end hems, and supports for the stretcher formed with means for engaging/ the poles to hold them in spaced relation and for engaging the shoulders to preventlongitudinal movement, the supports being also provided with eyes for receiving the head and foot bars, substantially as described.

3. In an ambulance, in combination, a web with side and end hems, and poles removably engaging the side hems to form a portable stretcher, columns forming a part of the ambulance structure, brackets hinged to the columns formed with means for engag ing the poles to hold them in spaced relation, and head and foot bars with screw ends for removably engaging the end hems and for clamping the brackets to the columns, substantially as described.

4. In a stretcher, in combination, a web consisting of a middle section and end sec* tions which fold over the ends of the middle section, side hems for the middle section, end hems between the end sections and the middle section, fasteners between the sides of the middle section and the sides of the end sections, poles engaging the side hems, head and foot bars engaging the end hems, and means for supporting and holding the poles and bars in proper relation, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, N. Y., this 15th day of August, 1917.

EMMA L. N. MILLER.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

